Observations on the curability of consumption : by a new, safe and painless mode of treatment; illustrated in selections from three hundred and ten late cases.

  • Hall, W. W. (William Whitty), 1810-1876.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the curability of consumption : by a new, safe and painless mode of treatment; illustrated in selections from three hundred and ten late cases. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    if taken in the beginning; and what is much better, can be effectually prevented by the following precautions: Instead of the uncouth and inappropriate military stock, or the bi-oad and cumbrous cravat, wear around the neck a piece of riband, or some tasteful substitute, loosely tied. This would be sufficient, even in winter. The change should be gradually made; and the habit should be adopted of rubbing the neck and throat well every night and morning, with a coarse cloth dipped in a tea cup of salt water on getting up; but using common cold water on retiring. This operation should be continued five or six minutes rapidly, and sufficiently hard to redden, but not abrade the surface. It is in default of such simple, precau- tionary measures, that many of our loveliest and most efficient ministers are incapacitated for life, or go down to a premature grave in the morning of their usefulness. Let those who are following on, take warning in time, and look with serious alarm on any unusual tendency to clear the throat, or to have a sore throat, or any burning feeling there, however slight; and in addition to what has been named, to chew a piece of white paper during the day, until the feeling is most thoroughly and effectually removed. The salivary glands are thus excited to pour out their secretions, and lubricate the passages, with nature's own preparation, which is infinitely better adapted to the purpose than any medicament of man. In bronchitis, as in every other ailment, the practice of every reflecting man ought to be, never to take a particle of any thing that could be considered in the way of medicine, if he can possibly get well without it, even though it may require a longer time. There is no medicine that is not a poison; by which I mean, that all medicines are poisonous in larger quan- tities, and the less of them is taken the better. I do not wish to be understood as being opposed to the use of medicine, but I wish to discountenance the blind, hap-hazard and ruinous practice of taking any thing, for any thing. Medicine is essen- tial to recovery from many diseases, but it ought only to be taken as prescribed by a careful and experienced physician.